Vail Mountain will open with more than 130 acres

Terrain park attendant Alex Drake, center, clears snow off the stair feature in the terrain park as snowcats move snow around the park to build jumps Wednesday on Born Free run on Vail Mountain in preparation for their opening day today.

Terrain park lead Austin Cook, right, tests out one of the features the park crew has been building in the terrain park on Born Free Run as snowcats continue grooming Vail Mountain Wednesday in preparation for opening day today.

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VAIL – Vail Mountain said Thursday that the resort will open for the 2013-2014 season on Friday with more than 130 acres of terrain and access from Vail Village and Lionshead. Breakfast burritos from Vail Mountain and hot cocoa will be provided at both base areas for early risers, and a DJ truck will be parked at the base of Vail Village to provide music throughout the morning.

“When we open tomorrow, the majority of skiing and snowboarding will take place on Born Free, with connecting routes from the top of Gondola One and the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “We are very close to being able to open up much more additional terrain on mostly natural snow. (We) just need a bit more snow, and most importantly, cold temperatures to allow our snowmakers and groomers to fill in a few ditches, holes and gaps to connect everything together safely. Ski patrol will be evaluating trails every day, and we will open up as much additional terrain as we can, as soon as we can open it safely for all of our guests. Keep your fingers crossed for continued snow and for cold temperatures, and we’ll get there soon.”

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, skiers and snowboarders will have access to the following lifts and more than 130 acres of skiable terrain in these areas on Vail Mountain:

Gondola One

Born Free Express Lift (Chair 8)

Little Eagle Lift (Chair 15)

Eagle Bahn Gondola

Skiers and snowboarders will also have access to the terrain park on Born Free with eight features including seven boxes and rails, and one small jump. Beginner terrain will be offered at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola via the Little Eagle Lift (Chair 15).

Vail Mountain lifts will open at 9 a.m. throughout the early season to accommodate early-morning operations. Skiers and snowboarders are asked to observe all posted signs and closures, especially during the early season.

On-Mountain Dining

The Marketplace at Eagle’s Nest, Express Lift at Mountain Plaza in Vail Village, and the Look Ma level at Mid-Vail will open for the season for daily operations 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. The bar at Bistro Fourteen will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Friday.

The 10th, Vail’s newest on-mountain dining option, will open for the season for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday. For the Thanksgiving weekend, The 10th will be open for dinner service Thursday through Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m. Regular dinner service will resume for the season starting Dec. 17. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 970-754-1010.

Game Creek Restaurant and Bistro Fourteen will also begin regular dinner service Dec. 18.

Activities and ski school

Beginning Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., guests will also have access to a variety of activities at Adventure Ridge at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola, including the bungee trampolines, kids snowmobiling, and a limited children’s sledding area.

Beginning Friday, the Lionshead Adults and Children’s Ski & Snowboard School offices will be open for all ability levels and the Vail Village Ski & Snowboard School office will be open for private lessons. Small World Nursery at the Golden Peak Children’s Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-ins are accepted and guests can also register online at www.vail.comtarget="_blank">www.vail.com.

The Vail Mountain Nordic School, located in Golden Peak, opens tomorrow with guided snowshoe and cross-country ski tours. For more information or to book a lesson, visit www.vail.com or call 970-754-3200.

Last chance for Epic Pass

The Vail Resorts Epic Pass will be available through Sunday.

The Epic Pass is a season pass that offers access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Eldora in Colorado, Canyons in Park City Utah, and Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe, for $729 through Sunday. For details, visit www.epicpass.comtarget="_blank">www.epicpass.com.

For more information about Vail Mountain visit www.vail.com, or stop by the Mountain Information Center, open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning Friday, or call (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8245).

“When we open tomorrow, the majority of skiing and snowboarding will take place on Born Free, with connecting routes from the top of Gondola One and the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola.” Chris Jarnot Senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain